Purification and In Situ Ligand Exchange of Metal-Carboxylate

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Purification and In-Situ Ligand Exchange of Metal-Carboxylate Treated Fluorescent InP Quantum Dots via Gel Permeation Chromatography Adam Roberge, Jennifer L. Stein, Yi Shen, Brandi M. Cossairt, and Andrew B. Greytak J. Phys. Chem. Lett., Just Accepted Manuscript • DOI: 10.1021/acs.jpclett.7b01772 • Publication Date (Web): 11 Aug 2017 Downloaded from http://pubs.acs.org on August 13, 2017

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The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters

Purification and In Situ Ligand Exchange of Metal-Carboxylate Treated Fluorescent InP Quantum Dots via Gel Permeation Chromatography Adam Roberge,‡ Jennifer L. Stein,† Yi Shen,‡§ Brandi M. Cossairt, † and Andrew B. Greytak‡* ‡ †

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina 29208, USA.

Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA.

ABSTRACT: Recently the addition of M2+ Lewis acids (M = Cd, Zn) to InP quantum dots has been shown to enhance the photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY). Here we investigate the stability of this Lewis acid layer to post synthetic processing such as purification and ligand exchange. We utilize gel permeation chromatography to purify the quantum dot samples as well as to aid in the ligand exchange reactions. The Lewis acid-capped particles are stable to purification and maintain the enhanced luminescent properties. We demonstrate successful ligand exchange on the quantum dots by switching the native carboxylate ligands to phosphonate ligands. Changes in the optical spectra after exposure to ambient environment indicate that both carboxylate- and phosphonatecapped QDs remain air sensitive.

Colloidal semiconductor quantum dots (QDs) have received considerable attention due to their low cost of fabrication, large extinction coefficients, and the ability to tune their optoelectronic properties based on size and composition. CdSe QDs have been the most well characterized system to date, however, as more technologies become commercially viable, concerns about environmental contamination and toxicity, and associated regulatory pressure, can limit the use of cadmium based materials. For example, in the EU there are already regulations in place that limit the use of cadmium and lead based materials in electrical and electronic equipment and because of these regulations there is a desire to move away from cadmium based systems. InP QDs have received increasing attention over the past few years as alternatives to the more well-characterized CdSe and PbS QD systems because of the range of visible and near infrared effective bandgaps that can be accessed.1 Still, numerous challenges are associated with InP QDs. In addition to their rapid oxidation in air, InP QDs have suffered from low photoluminescence (PL) quantum yields (QY) which decrease their viability for use in optoelectronic applications.2 In previous QD systems, creation of a core/shell structure has been used to improve the QY as well as improve air stability. The coating of a shell material with a larger band gap passivates surface dangling bonds as well as localizes the wave function to the core, spatially separating the core from the environment to reduce its influence on the optoelectronic properties. The growth of cadmium sulfide (CdS) and zinc sulfide (ZnS) shells in particular have both been observed to improve the photoluminescence of InP QDs and many other nanocrystal materials..3–8

One method that has been used in the synthesis of shells onto the QD core is successive ionic layer and adhesion reaction (SILAR), which utilizes alternating precursor additions to saturate the surface sequentially in an attempt to force conformal growth onto the core.9,10 By carefully controlling the precursor injections so that the reaction is self-limiting, side reactions that generate small particles of the shell material can be minimized.11 This self-limiting reaction has led to the successful creation of many core/shell systems. In the case of InP QDs, it was found that in the stepwise synthesis of ZnS and CdS shells onto the core, during the initial addition of the Lewis acid M2+ (M=Zn,Cd; introduced as oleate salts), a hypsochromic and bathochromic shift occurs for Zn2+ and Cd2+ respectively, and an increase in QY is observed (Figure S1). This increase in the QY was attributed to the surface passivation of dangling phosphorus bonds.12 The ability to tune the absorbance and emission spectra based on the amount of M2+ added without a substantial change in particle size provides a unique opportunity to access a wide spectral range without modifying the core synthesis. If this initial M2+ layer is stable to further processing conditions (purification and ligand exchange) that are frequently performed in pursuit of applications, it could provide an interesting alternative to full shell synthesis, while also offering a route to highly emissive QDs with decreased or eliminated Cd content. In this paper, we report an investigation into the stability of this surface M2+ layer by measuring the change in M2+ content and QY after purification via gel permeation chromatography as well as after exposure to ambient conditions. Gel permeation chromatography (GPC), a type of anhydrous size exclusion chromatography, has been established over the

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Figure 2. Stability of GPC purified Cd-InP QD samples kept under inert atmosphere indicating no change in the absorbance (left) and emission (right) after 1 week. Figure 1. 1H NMR (A) before GPC purification and (B) after GPC purification of cadmium oleate coated InP (Cd-InP) QDs showing a large decrease in olefin containing impurities such as 1-octadecene (*) while strongly bound oleate ligands remain (•). Peaks associated with the toluene solvent (▪), ferrocene internal standard (∆), and TMS (+) are also visible. past few years as a repeatable method to purify quantum dot solutions, removing synthetic impurities and weakly bound ligands without causing aggregation or etching.13,14 Furthermore, by taking advantage of the differing rates at which small and large molecules flow through the chromatography column, it is possible to design a system in which a ligand exchange reaction can occur during the time the QDs traverse the column.15 Here we use this “on column” exchange to switch the native oleate ligands coordinated to the Lewis acid to hexylphosphonate ligands in an attempt to improve the air stability of the InP QDs. We have previously demonstrated purification by GPC as a reproducible method to remove synthetic impurities and weakly associated ligands from InP QDs.15 Furthermore, we have demonstrated that GPC selectively removes weakly bound ligands that can modulate quantum yield in CdSe/CdZnS core/shell QDs.16 The InP QDs samples here were prepared with myristate ligands and treated with Zn2+ or Cd2+ as described previously.12 Accordingly, it is key to test whether the metal carboxylate ligands are separated by GPC purification and determine the influence purification has on the QY. Ligand populations in QD samples can be monitored by 1H and 31P NMR spectroscopy,17 and UV-visible absorption spectroscopy can be used to normalize for differences in QD concentration, and to assign approximate QD concentration values if extinction coefficients are known. The purifications described here were conducted at an approximate QD concentration of 25 μM based on reported extinction coefficients for InP QDs of comparable size,18,19 and were performed in anhydrous toluene under air-free conditions. As shown by the 1H NMR spectra in Figure 1, purification of the cadmium oleate coated InP (Cd-InP) QDs shows a large decrease in olefin-containing impurities such as 1-octadecene. The broad resonance at ~5.5 ppm is assigned to the olefin protons of the strongly bound cadmium oleate ligands that remain present after purification. In addition to the 1H NMR spectra, we monitored changes in absorbance and emission spectra (Figure 2) and after 1 week no changes are observed in the optical spectra. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS) was run on aliquots sampled before and after purification to check if GPC purification was decreasing the cadmium content relative to indium (Figure S2). After GPC

purification, there was no observable change in the Cd/In ratio, indicating that purification did not remove the cadmium oleate bound to the QDs. In the case of the zinc oleate treated InP (Zn-InP) QDs, purification by GPC causes a small decrease in the Zn:In ratio (Figure S2). The QY was monitored before and after GPC purification (Figure S3), and for the Zn-InP QDs there was a small decrease in the QY after GPC purification. In both cases, there was minimal change in the low energy absorption and emission peak positions after purification. The purification results can be explained by a diminished binding strength of Zn carboxylate to the InP surface relative to Cd in toluene solvent. We note that in a previous a study of SILAR shell growth on CdSe, a diminished synthetic yield for ZnS growth from Zn(oleate)2 was seen compared to CdS growth from Cd(oleate)2, consistent with a comparatively weak association of Zn(oleate)2 to the CdSe surface at the reaction temperature.20 Though not directly comparable, these two results suggest that binding of Lewis acidic metal salts to InP and CdSe surfaces may follow similar trends. Importantly, the retention of M2+ during GPC purification indicates that exposure of carboxylate-capped InP QDs to metal salts can yield stable colloidal complexes whose subsequent chemistry in the presence of specific reagents can be investigated further. Similar to the absorbance and emission changes due to the addition of cadmium and zinc oleate to InP, it has been shown in CdSe clusters that with the addition of the Lewis acid cadmium benzoate, the QY increases and a large bathochromic shift in the absorption and emission peaks occurs.21 Etching of Lewis acid “Z-type” ligands can be achieved with the addition of nucleophilic amine ligands.22 For example, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethyl-ethylene-1,2-diamine (TMEDA), a Lewis base which chelates such ligands in solution, has been demonstrated as a means to decrease the amount of Lewis acidic ligand coverage on the QD surface.23 The bathochromic shift in the optical spectra was shown to be reversible through etching of the Z-type cadmium benzoate with TMEDA. The origin of the increased QY and bathochromic shift were attributed to passivation of non-radiative trap states and exciton delocalization into the ligand monolayer through hybrid orbitals that are characteristic of both the nanocrystal and ligand. The exact role of cadmium carboxylate and zinc carboxylate in altering the optical properties of InP has seen conflicting reports, but arguments regarding impacts on exciton localization appear most consistent with our experimental data.3,24 To test whether the M2+ is surface-bound or incorporated into the InP crystal structure, chemical etching of the QDs with TMEDA was performed. Etching of InP QDs has been


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Figure 3. Normalized absorbance spectra after purification by GPC and after on-column etching with TMEDA showing a red shift in the low energy excitonic transition. performed previously with HF and with ionic liquids to create luminescent particles.18,25 We hypothesize that if the M2+ is in fact diffusing into the InP lattice, etching with TMEDA will not alter the metal carboxylate content on short time scales. Previous etching experiments monitored changes in QY upon addition of TMEDA, however the byproducts formed could not be separated.12 Here, etching of Zn-InP QDs was performed by pre-loading TMEDA onto the GPC column before addition of the QD solution. This “oncolumn” reaction will tend to separate any small-molecule products extruded from the QD surface. 1H NMR of the collected eluent showed evidence of bound olefin remaining (Figure S4). A shift in the peak position in the absorbance spectra after the on-column etch compared to a GPC purified sample was observed however, which is an indication of increased removal of zinc in the presence of TMEDA (Figure 3). We also examined the displacement of zinc oleate from the surface of the Zn-InP QDs by titrating TMEDA into a Zn-InP QD solution and monitoring changes in the 1H NMR spectrum (Figure S5). Olefin protons of oleate ligands that are attached to the QD appear as a broad peak in the NMR due to the slow tumbling, whereas unbound oleate appears as sharp peaks. By monitoring the shift from bound to unbound oleate upon addition of TMEDA there is evident decrease in the bound olefin signal. This has been demonstrated previously in the etching of Cd-rich CdSe with TMEDA and in the stripping of anionic ligands from PbSe QDs through the formation of BF3 adducts.23,26 Here, we found that the ligand displacement reached equilibrium on the order of 5 minutes or less and this rapid exchange lends support to the metal carboxylate dopants being localized to the surface rather than dispersed through the nanocrystal. Though rapid ion exchange has been observed in chalcogenide QDs,27 temperature-dependent diffusion studies for Zn in bulk InP report slow diffusion. The diffusion constant D has been reported to vary as exp with D0=9×10−2 cm2/s with a/ 28 Ea=1.52 eV. These values predict D≈10−27 cm2/s at 300 K. For comparison, diffusion out of a sphere29 with the nanocrystal radius (~1.5 nm), on the equilibration time scale observed in the 1H NMR (300 s), would require a diffusion constant D≈10−17 cm2/s, a difference of 10 orders of magnitude. From this analysis, we conclude that at least a large portion of the

Figure 4. 1H NMR of Cd-InP (A) before exchange reaction (1octadecene (*), oleate (•), toluene (▪), ferrocene (∆)) and (B) after on-column exchange with hexylphosphonic acid. Inset in (B) compares oleate resonances before (red) and after (blue) ligand exchange. After exchange, only sharp resonances near 5.45 ppm, indicative of free oleate, are seen. Though the reaction is complete, incomplete separation of byproducts is evidenced by the residual free oleate and DIPEA (peaks ≈ 2.5, 3.1 ppm). Zn content in the fluorescent Zn-InP QDs is localized to the surface. InP particles rapidly oxidize in air, which is detrimental to the optical properties of the QDs. In an attempt to improve the air stability of the InP particles, we utilized an in-situ ligand exchange on the GPC column15 to switch the carboxylate ligands to phosphonate ligands. In CdSe QDs, it has been demonstrated that phosphonate ligands have a stronger binding to the surface than carboxylate ligands.30,31 We hypothesize that this increased binding strength could provide a more protective ligand layer to inhibit oxidation in the case of InP QDs. To achieve exchange of carboxylate to phosphonate on the Cd-InP sample, we introduced a solution of hexylphosphonic acid (HPA) in anhydrous toluene. To scavenge excess protons from the phosphonic acid, diisopropyl ethyl amine (DIPEA) was introduced as well. This solution was pre-loaded onto a 20 cm high GPC column followed by a section of neat anhydrous toluene and then the Cd-InP QDs. The exchange reaction went to completion as seen in the near complete decrease of olefin containing species in the 1H NMR (Figure 4), with only a minor peak remaining that we assign to a small amount of unbound oleate species remaining in the solution. With sufficient column length, it is conceivable that the byproducts can be completely removed from the QD fraction in a single run, but space constraints in the glovebox prohibited packing of a longer column. To further investigate this ligand exchange reaction, we conducted it in a more traditional process in which initial purification, exposure to the new ligand, and subsequent purification to remove byproducts from the exchanged particles are conducted as discrete steps. We performed this “normal” ligand exchange on GPC-purified Cd-InP particles, and evidence of the complete exchange and complete removal of oleate products can be seen in the 1H NMR (Figure S6, S7). To confirm that the exchange was replacing the carboxylate ligands with phosphonate ligands on the M2+ rather than displacing metal oleate or phosphonate products (Scheme 1), the Cd/In ratio was compared before and after the exchange through



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Scheme 1. Observed X-type exchange vs. possible displacement reactions at the M2+-InP surface

ICP-MS (Figure S8). The Cd/In ratio does not change significantly after the exchange reaction when compared to the GPC purified, but unexchanged, samples. This result combined with the decrease of bound olefin in the NMR provide strong evidence for X-type ligand exchange accompanied by proton transfer from hexylphosphonic acid to oleate/DIPEA. We note that the surface of the Cd-InP dots prior to exchange is comprised of a combination of myristate ligands present after InP synthesis and oleate ligands used to balance the M2+ Lewis acid. The X-type ligand exchange not only replaces the oleate ligands but also the myristate ligands, as integration of the aliphatic region indicates a CH3/CH2 ratio corresponding to purely hexylphosphonate ligands present at the surface. The oleic acid and myristic acid byproducts of this exchange can be completely removed by GPC in toluene. Before considering oxidation on exposure to ambient atmosphere, it is important to consider the intrinsic stability of the carboxylate- and phosphonate-capped QDs under air free conditions. Cros-Gagneux et al. reported that oxidation at the surface of InP QDs can occur through decarboxylative coupling that provides the conditions for oxidation in the absence of air.32 In our own investigation of the present InP QDs and M2+ coated samples prior to ligand exchange, we we find no evidence of oxidation in 1H-31P cross polarization NMR spectra (Figure S9). X-ray emission spectroscopy (Figures S10 & S11) showed only 10% phosphorous oxidation, which is attributed to the sample preparation as the samples were exposed to air briefly before insertion into spectrometer; this offers additional evidence that oxidation of phosphorus in these materials as prepared is minimal. The stability of metal ion-treated InP particles following purification and ligand exchange, and upon subsequent air exposure, was monitored by changes in the absorbance and emission spectra as well as in changes to QY (Figure 5). Specifically, the QY of Cd-InP samples was recorded under inert atmosphere, after bubbling with ambient atmosphere for 20 minutes, and after 1 week of storage sealed under ambient atmosphere following bubbling. The unpurified stock Cd-InP sample does not show any shift in the absorbance spectra after 1 week of storage in ambient environment, but does however see a decrease in emission intensity. This is the same for the QDs that were purified by GPC. As noted above in Figure 2, a control sample of Cd-InP QDs purified by GPC and kept under inert atmosphere showed no apparent change in either the absorbance or emission spectrum. In the

Figure 5. Normalized absorbance (Left) and Emission (Right) of Cd-InP samples upon exposure to air for unpurified (Top), GPC purified (Middle), and GPC exchanged (Bottom) samples. Absorbance spectra are vertically offset for clarity. case of the phosphonate capped QDs the absorbance spectrum peak blue shifts by 50 nm and the emission peak blue shifts by 30 nm over a week of ambient exposure with significant change appearing within 20 minutes (Figure 5 and S12), a shift that exceeds the initial red shift on introduction of Cd, and is thus indicative of erosion of the QD core. The QY of the exchanged dots was also measured immediately after the exchange and after one week of storage in ambient conditions. The QY is reduced from 20% immediately after exchange to 8% after one week. This change is similar to the value of the initial Cd-InP sample with carboxylate ligands in which over one week of air exposure, the stock solution QY decreased from 26% to 10%. The GPC purified, carboxylatecapped sample saw a decrease in the QY from 26% to 9% after 1 week of air exposure. In summary, the ligand exchange to phosphonate ligands did not improve the air stability of the M2+ coated particles and this remains an issue that needs to be resolved for these particles to serve as luminescent alternatives to core/shell particles in many applications. The addition of M2+ (Cd,Zn) to InP QDs causes a bathochromic/hypsochromic shift in the absorbance and emission spectra and leads to an increase in the QY. GPC purification of these particles leads to a minimal change in both the QY and the ratio of M2+/In. The M2+-InP QDs could be made to undergo two different types of ligand exchange reactions. In particular, the metal carboxylate was successfully etched and separated through exposure to TMEDA, a process that can be described as reactive displacement of a “Z-type” ligand, and rate of this reaction suggests that the metal is surface bound rather than alloyed into the crystal lattice. Additionally, the


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use of GPC allowed for successful ligand exchange of the initial oleate ligands to hexylphosphonate in stepwise and insitu processes, indicating that X-type exchange can be accomplished without displacing the Lewis-acidic metals. This is, to our knowledge, the first demonstration of complete Xtype ligand exchange on InP QDs; similar transformations have recently been carried out for InP magic size clusters.33 Though fluorescence under air-free conditions was maintained, this ligand exchange did not improve the air stability of the rapidly oxidizing InP particles. Nonetheless, the observation that strongly-bound complexes can be achieved by addition of Lewis acidic metal salts to InP QDs suggests that this approach, together with subsequent ligand exchange, is an important tool for improving material performance and facilitating technological translation. Experimental Methods: All chemicals were used as received without further purification. Anhydrous Toluene 99.8% was purchased from Alfa Aesar, D8-toluene 99.5% was purchased from Cambridge Isotope Labs, Bio Beads S-X1 was purchased from Bio Rad, Hexylphosphonic acid was purchased from PCI, N,N,N′,N′-tetramethylethylenediamine 99% and ferrocene 98% were purchased from Acros Organics, diisopropylethylamine , Rhodamine 590 was purchased from Exciton, Ethanol 200 proof was purchased from Decon. 1H NMR spectra were recorded on Bruker Avance III 400 MHz. The optical absorption spectrum was recorded using a Thermo Scientific Evolution Array UV-visible spectrophotometer with toluene as the solvent as well as the blank in a 1 cm path quartz cuvette. Fluorescence spectra of QD and R590 dye were taken under identical spectrometer conditions on a Varian fluorescence spectrometer in triplicate and averaged. Inductively couple plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) spectra were recorded on a Thermo-Finnigan Element XR ICP-MS. Synthesis of Zn-InP and Cd-InP: Metal coated InP quantum dots were synthesized following the procedure by Stein and Cossairt12. In brief, zinc oleate (cadmium oleate) was added to a solution of InP quantum dots (approximate 1:2 Zn:In (2:1 Cd:In)molar ratio) and stirred at 200 °C for 3 hours, after which the solution was cooled to room temperature and the 1-octadecene was removed by distillation under vacuum. Purification of Zn-InP and Cd-InP: 3 mL of Zn-InP QDs in pentane was removed in a sealed vial and pumped dry using a schlenk line. The dried sample was transferred back into nitrogen glovebox and dissolved in 3 mL of anhydrous toluene (AT) and filtered through a 0.2 µm PTFE syringe filter. 1 mL of this filtered solution was separated and distributed into 3 vials for ICP-MS measurements. The QY was measured by taking 50 μL of the Zn-InP solution into 2.5 mL AT. This was found to yield an absorbance at the λmax below 0.1 A.U. and was done to reduce possible reabsorption affects. The remaining 2 mL of filtered Zn-InP was reduced in volume on a Schlenk line to ~0.8 mL for injection onto the GPC column. An eluted fraction of ~2 mL containing QDs was collected. The QY was recorded after purification using 50 μL in 2.5 mL AT. The remaining Zn-InP solution was split into three separate vials for ICP-MS. Samples were prepared for ICP-MS by evacuation to dryness followed by digestion with aqueous HNO3. The same procedure was followed for the Cd-InP sample. Zn-InP etch with TMEDA: ~20 nmol Zn-InP was removed from the vial and injected onto the chromatography column

the collected sample was pumped dry and redissolved in 0.8 mL d8-toluene. 1H NMR was run on the initial stock solution and then 50 equivalents of TMEDA relative to the Zn on the surface was added in and the spectra 1H NMR spectra was recorded again. Additions of 20 equivalents of TMEDA were titrated into the NMR tube, and after agitating to mix, the spectra were recorded again, until a total of 210 equivalents of TMEDA were added up to a final [TMEDA] of 2.64 M (volume fraction of 40 %). Phosphonate Ligand Exchange: Hexylphosphonic acid (6 mg) and diisopropylethylamine (5 μL) were dissolved in 4 mL AT and the resultant solution was injected onto the GPC column. This solution was followed by 2 mL neat AT after which the Cd-InP solution was injected (~20 nmol). A 2 mL fraction of the eluent, containing the QD band, was collected. QY was measured after the exchange using 100 μL QD solution in 2.5 mL AT. The remaining 1.9 mL solution was pumped dry and dissolved in d8-toluene with internal standard of ferrocene (2 mg). The 1H NMR spectrum was recorded. Cd-InP Stability test: ~18 nmol of Cd-InP QDs was used for each trial and was directly injected onto the GPC column. In each case ~2 mL of QD solution was collected from the column and the QY was measured by taking 100 μL of the solution diluted in 2.5 mL toluene. The samples were bubbled with ambient atmosphere for 20 minutes after which the QY was recorded again. The samples were then stored in the dark to decrease the possibility of photo-oxidation, and after 1 week, the QY was once again recorded. The collected samples were then digested with HNO3 and the Cd and In content was measured.

ASSOCIATED CONTENT Supporting Information Figures S1-S12: Changes in optical spectra with addition of M2+, and upon purification, ligand exchange, and air exposure; ICP-MS results; 1H NMR of etching and exchange reactions; 1H-31P cross polarization NMR spectra; X-ray emission spectra of as-synthesized QDs. This Supporting Information is available free of charge on the ACS Publications website.

AUTHOR INFORMATION Corresponding Author *E-mail: [email protected]

Present Addresses §Present

address: Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, Massachusetts 02139, USA.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT This work was supported by the US National Science Foundation under grant number CHE-1613388. AR is additionally supported by an NSF IGERT Graduate Fellowship under grant number 1250052. YS thanks the University of South Carolina for a Dean’s Dissertation Fellowship. JLS and BMC acknowledge the support of the US National Science Foundation under grant number CHE-1552164. X-ray emission spectroscopy was performed with the generous aid of W. M. Holden and G. T. Seidler using a novel compact spectrometer on the University of Washington campus.



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Table of contents graphic 423x423mm (72 x 72 DPI)



1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50 51 52 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 60

Scheme 1 687x430mm (72 x 72 DPI)


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Purification and In Situ Ligand Exchange of Metal-Carboxylate

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